1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to marking systems and, in particular, systems useful in marking a target with a thermal designation.
2. Description of Related Art
Manned vehicles are heavily used in various environments for reconnaissance, aerial photography, combat activities, rescue efforts, law enforcement, security exercises, and other purposes. Such vehicles may include aerial vehicles such as reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters, jets, and airplanes. Such vehicles may also include ground vehicles such as tanks, troop transports, armored assault vehicles, motorcycles, and automobiles. Such vehicles may further include aqueous and/or subaqueous vehicles such as boats, rafts, battleships, submarines, and, amphibious or semi-amphibious vehicles. Each of these manned vehicles may be employed by various users in the vicinity of unfriendly forces or other potentially dangerous areas. In these environments it can be difficult for friendly forces to distinguish between friendly vehicles and unfriendly or foe vehicles, and this difficulty can be heightened under the stress of combat situations and/or other situations common in dangerous areas.
It is understood that known markers, locating lasers, beacons, or other like beam emitters can be connected to and/or otherwise associated with such manned vehicles to assist in locating and/or identifying the vehicles at moderate distances. However, these known emitters are plagued by a host of debilitating drawbacks that make them inefficient or potentially dangerous for use in some dangerous environments. For instance, while radiation emitted by many emitters is clearly visible by conventional night vision goggles, cellular phone displays, or other like viewing devices, such viewing devices are widely available and used by both friendly forces and unfriendly groups. Thus, friendly vehicles equipped with known emitters can easily be detected by unfriendly groups, making stealth or covert operation of such vehicles difficult, if not impossible.
In addition, most known emitters are not easily programmable or modifiable in the field, and are not configured to emit beams having a diverse range of, for example, encryption signatures, wavelengths, and/or other characteristics. As a result, it is relatively easy for unfriendly groups to “disguise” their vehicles by programming the emitters associated with such vehicles to emit substantially the same beam as that emitted by, for example, a friendly emitter. Such ease of deception can be very dangerous in certain environments.
Moreover, some known emitters, such as thermal markers or other devices emitting beams in the thermal band, may have a limited detection range. For example, while friendly forces and vehicles may be equipped with known thermal markers for friend or foe identification, the signals emitted by these devices may not be easily detected beyond a range of several hundred meters. This range may be relevant in a tightly confined arena of engagement, but such a limited range can put friendly forces at risk when vehicles are used. For example, manned vehicles such as the ground, aerial, and/or aqueous vehicles discussed above can move at high rates of speed and may approach or operate (in the case of aerial vehicles) at distances greater than 1 km from the engagement arena. Not being able to detect a vehicle, or determine whether or not the detected vehicle is friendly, unless and until the vehicle is within several hundred meters of, for example, an engagement arena or other area occupied by friendly forces, can put these forces at serious risk.
Moreover, the manned vehicles described herein may also employ emitters in various environments to mark and/or otherwise convey information about an object, location, and/or target. Such information may include, for example, whether or not to engage the marked object, or the location of the target, hidden resources, friendly forces, a distressed friendly soldier, or checkpoints along a path. However, known emitters may not be suitable for use with such devices due to the deficiencies discussed above. For example, beams emitted by known emitters may not be easily seen from great distances, thus making locating such devices difficult. Moreover, once such emitters are deactivated or the target has moved out of the beam path, the designation and/or other marking on the target dissipates almost instantaneously, making it very difficult for friendly forces to produce a sustained thermal designation on such targets. In addition, most known emitters are not capable of effectively thermally marking targets having an elevated temperature, such as, for example, a temperature above room temperature. If the target is, for example, a human being, an engine, or other target having an elevated temperature, such emitters may not be useful for their intended purpose.
The various embodiments set forth in the present disclosure are directed toward overcoming the problems discussed above.